ScienceMakers Toolkit Manual - The History Makers

Center, an organization designed to monitor tremors worldwide, locate earthquakes, and dispatch emergency
crews. Person was intrigued by the readings on the rolls he was assigned to maintain and began to study the
fi eld in more depth; he continued to work as a technician while simultaneously studying at American University
and George Washington University until 1973. Upon earning the qualifi cations geophysicist, Person transferred
to Colorado to begin his work within his fi eld. In 1977, he was named Director of the Colorado National
Earthquake Information Center and eventually became a sought-after earthquake spokesperson for national and
international media. Person went on to serve as the director of the United States Geological Survey’s National
Earthquake Information Center, becoming the fi rst African American to do so.
Honors that Person earned include the Outstanding Government Communicator Award, the Meritorious Service
Award from the United States Department of the Interior, and the Annual Minority Award from the Community
Services Department in Boulder, Colorado. Person served as the eastern section treasurer of the Seismological
Society of America and as a member of the board of directors of Boulder County Crimestoppers. Person held
the positions of president and member of Flatirons Kiwanis Club in Boulder, Colorado, and as the membership
retention chairman of the Rocky Mountain District.
Discussion Questions
Personal:
1. What did you like best about listening to Dr. Person?
2. What do you think Dr. Person’s favorite quote means? What does this tell you about him?
3. Where was Dr. Person born? Locate it on a map. How far away is this from where you live? What are
the names of his parents? Where did Dr. Person attend high school? What do you suppose high school
was like for him?
4. How old are you? In what year was Dr. Person your age? What was happening in the country that year?
What was happening in the world that year? What do you suppose his life was like when he was your
age?
5. What was school like for Dr. Person? Did he like it? What were the diffi culties that he faced? How was
the country different when Dr. Person was a child? Are there any similarities between then and now?
What are they? (See Clip #1)
6. Dr. Person says that he was nosy; curious might be another way to say that. What are you curious about?
Do you wonder how things work, like Dr. Person did? How can you fi nd the answers? (See Clip #2)
7. Dr. Person talks about the differences that he noticed in society. What were some of those differences?
Do you think that we have made enough progress since then? Why or why not? (See Clip #2)
8. Dr. Person talks about role models for young people who are interested in math or science. Who were
the role models that Dr. Person saw? How did this change his idea of what he would become? Who are
your role models? What kinds of things do they do? Why do you want to be like them? (See Clip #3)
9. How did Dr. Person become a geophysicist? Explain the various steps he took, especially when he
changed his plans to accomplish his overall goal. What kinds of long-term goals do you have? Do you
have a plan do meet those goals? What will you do if your plans don’t work out? What are some ways
you can change to meet your goal? (See Clip #4)
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Earth Science